My Why

So, by now you've probably seen my announcement that I'm entering the world of direct sales. Okay, wait don't stop reading, this is probably not going where you think it's going. Hold the phone! Chelsea, why the heck would you even consider entering that world?  Excellent question; one that I was asking myself just a few weeks ago.

Here's the thing, I have never been a big fan of any thing direct sales related...ever. I have multiple friends who sell for various direct sales companies and I honestly find the entire process a bit annoying. There, I said it. I find it annoying. Can you relate? I don't mean that my friends themselves are annoying, just the continuous ads and pictures and videos and pleas to buy. I just don't like being bombarded and I don't like feeling pressured. So again, you're probably still asking, "Chelsea, WHY then?"

You want to know why I've decided to jump on board with Younique? Well, honestly it's kind of a God thing. No! It's definitely a God thing. It's a God thing for many, many reasons, which I'll get to shortly, but it's also a God-thing because, y'all I'm still not a fan of direct sales even though I'm entering into that world. That doesn't even make sense, I know. It probably seems bit random to most of you, but please allow me to share this entire GOD THING because it's pretty cool in my opinion, and I think you'll tend to agree.

Let me begin by rewinding about 3 years. I started blogging and sharing our home updates with family and friends. It was nothing major + VERY low maintenance. Then, I encountered some site host problems and quit blogging for a while. Then, after Emerson was born + I "retired" from teaching {at least for now}, and I needed an outlet. I was suffering from some PPD and I was discontent. Enter my current blog, A Little Thrifty Chic. I started up again with a new site host + just took it slow. I wrote about motherhood, marriage, and everything in between, including some home decor projects + some very real struggles I had encountered as a new mom. Then, several months ago, I made the decision to take it all public. Like PUBLIC PUBLIC. I opened up our lives for everyone on Instagram + Facebook. SCARY!!!! It was a very bold move on my part, but I loved blogging and encouraging other people through the use of my experiences. I have received tremendous, tremendous feedback in the past 6 months and I am beyond grateful for everyone that shares in this world with me. It has truly become another little babe for me, except way less cute + cuddly {no offense to y'all}. Hey, at least this blog doesn't tell me "No, mommy". 

Anyway, let me back up just a smidgen again. Back in March or so, one of my Facebook friends, and a blog reader messaged me on Facebook. She actually went to college with my husband + they were in choir together, so she wasn't a complete random stranger. Anyway, she asked me if I'd ever heard of Younique and if I'd like to try some of their products. Specifically, she wanted me to try their 3D Fiber Lash Mascara + possibly share a review with my blog and IG readers. I loved the idea of trying out a new mascara because I'm always interested in trying out new makeup. {Makeup is a major hobby of mine when I'm not busy momming, blogging, decorating, or thrifting}. Unfortunately, at the time, doing a makeup review on my blog just didn't seem to fit with my content. I politely turned her down and she totally understood. She, being the super sweetheart that she is, said she wanted to send me a mascara anyway just because she loved my heart and my blog so much *a resounding "awwww"* and she thought I deserved it. Not another word was said about it and I had never encountered another Younique presenter until I found one on Instagram about a month later.

This particular presenter is named Allie. I took a free makeup class on Facebook through her Younique group and it was amazing. I learned so many fun makeup tips and tricks. We even discussed my possibly ordering the makeup. The girl was talented and I was hooked. She was so helpful, but it just wasn't in the budget and I knew it. I couldn't support her business at the time because I just couldn't afford it right then. Fast forward a month or two and now we're in July 2016. Allie randomly sent me a message on IG about Younique. We talked for like an hour about the possibility of my joining her team of presenters and what it could mean for our family. You get the idea.

Well, not a day later, Lindsay and I were in communication again. Coincidence? I think not. One thing led to another and I just knew that God was calling me to this company. There had been too many signals for me to ignore. There were no persuasive arguments from either girl. No begging me to join. No begging me to buy anything. Just honest, real conversations about life and goals. I knew that I was being torn in two directions. On the one hand, Allie is extremely successful with the company and is such a sweet, sweet woman. We share a lot of similarities in our lives. Then, Lindsay is also extremely successful and is a newer presenter in the company {when compared to Allie}. Lindsay and I just really clicked + I immediately just felt an instant bond with her. I felt like I'd known her my entire life. We talked for days! I prayed hard for days and days. I really didn't want to jump into anything {especially direct sales} without a clear peace about it. There were little signs everywhere I turned and I just KNEW that God was telling me to TRUST HIM and take a leap of faith. I am NOT a risk taker, so I knew that doing this was going to be a true test of my faith. I was scared.

You've probably determined that I decided to take on Lindsay as my sponsor, meaning she's my go-to gal. My teammate. My encourager. My teacher. My friend. I told her that I wanted in and that I was scared to death. I was scared of what other people were going to think about me. I was scared of failing. I was scared of being completely clueless when it comes to business. I had {have} lots of fears. When I look back at the entire journey of my blog and how it's come this far, I can't help but think that God was strategically planning my future. He knew all along that this opportunity would present itself. He knew that I would border trusting in ME or trusting in HIM. He knew that I would need a network of people online in order to be successful. He knew that I would need loving, encouraging, supportive friends and family to make this business a reality. I'm honestly just in awe of how He has orchestrated this entire thing. This is how I KNOW that Jeremiah 29:11 is absolutely truth. "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you, to give you a hope and a future."

Let me reiterate: I AM SCARED and I HAVE LOTS OF FEARS in starting this business. Those have not magically disappeared just because I feel like I've followed God's lead. I kind of feel like I'm walking off a cliff, actually, but I'm also confident that He is able to do more than I can hope or imagine. I posted my very first video this morning announcing this endeavor and I had major anxiety immediately after I posted it. I have already had many people "unfollow" me on Instagram, I imagine because they fear what I fear....annoyance. But, on the other hand, I have had so many people wish me the best in this new adventure, and others who have expressed interest in the makeup + others yet, who have already joined my Facebook group to be a part of my launch on August 2nd, which obviously I would love for EVERYONE to join, but I get it. It's not for everyone, so NO PRESSURE!!! :)

I'm writing this tonight, not as a ploy to make you suddenly interested in this makeup. I'm not trying to recruit you. I'm not trying to make you think anything of me, good or bad. I am simply writing to share with you my WHY for doing this. I am doing this because I feel like I am being called to this, truly. I never in a million years saw this for myself. I am doing this because I want to contribute financially to our family again. I want to do this because I love makeup and I love encouraging others, and those two together is like two of my worlds colliding in a powerful way. I am doing this for many reasons, which I don't expect everyone to understand. I am doing this to conquer fears that have lived inside of me for a long time. I am doing this because on January 1st of this year I made a resolution + a promise to myself that I would say YES to things that make me uncomfortable, within this year specifically. God has certainly challenged me on that. I have already conquered one of those resolutions in the form of regular, consistent exercise + nutrition. Now, I have to prepare myself to conquer this one. This fear of rejection. This fear of failure even though I know I have what it takes to be successful.

So, I ask that you please support me. Don't leave me in the dust because you think I'm suddenly going to hunt you down and follow you begging you to buy from me, watch me, like me. I NEVER want to be that person. I'm going to continue being Chelsea. I'm going to continue blogging with my usual content. You may see a couple extra selfies here and there on your news feed, but honestly, I just want to share some things I love with you, in hopes that maybe you'll love them just as much. I am just anxiously awaiting what the Lord will do. I know His plans are far greater than mine and that makes me so hopeful.  Thank you guys again for constantly supporting and encouraging me. You will never know how truly thankful I am for you all. XO!

If you are interested in joining my launch party group, click here! :)

Relating Through Weakness

Today started out like any other. We were preparing to go to church, which is a process in and off itself, especially with a child {or children} in tow. Y'all feel me on that? Thankfully though, my husband was home this morning and able to occupy Emerson, allowing me to get myself ready without much distraction. We managed to get out the door, slightly late but that's not unusual. I literally am never on time. I try SO hard, but I fail nearly every outing. We were getting in the car and everyone was happy, then the next thing I knew the tears were flowing. Not from Emerson, not from Trey, but from me. C'mon, Chelsea pull it together. My husband and I argued over something so minor the entire way to church, to the point that Emerson started yelling in the backseat {in hindsight, it was probably her way of trying to get her two cents in as a reminder that she was back there}.  We got to church and I refused to go inside because by this point my makeup was running and it was obvious I'd been crying. Trey took Emerson inside and I drove around listening to praise and worship music, partly because that calms me + brings me peace, and also because I felt guilty for not going into church. Should I have gone in? Probably, yes. Should we have parted ways right there in the parking lot AT CHURCH? Maybe not. But you know what? We're human. I'm human. We have a great life and we are generally pretty happy go lucky, but sometimes, well sometimes, life gets the best of us. Our pride and selfishness get in the way. We argue. We fight. We disagree. We cry. We walk away {not very far} sometimes. Then, eventually we apologize. We pray. We realize the magnitude of our actions {whether great or small} and we reprioritize accordingly. Why am I telling you this? Chelsea, that's pretty personal, don't you think?

The answer to both questions is this: yes, it is personal and I'm telling you because that's just me. What you see is what you get. I like to be raw, honest, real. I stumbled upon a quote recently that read,

"People relate more to other people in their weaknesses, 

not in their strengths." 

That really hit home with me because while I love capturing and sharing all of the goodness and hilarity that accompanies parenthood, our marriage, home, family, etc, I also love the freedom and vulnerability that comes with being brutality honest and real with others. From the beginning, I've always been honest about our marriage and the struggles that lie within. I've been honest about my battles with my postpartum depression and the effects it had on every aspect of my life. You know, maybe more than you care to, about how motherhood has changed me both for good and for bad. You've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. I like that though. It brings me great joy to share in life's journey with you for better or for worse. Granted, we aren't married or anything, but heck, we all are doing life together and if you ask me, life can sometimes be a whole lot harder than marriage. Sometimes. ;)

All of that to say, that just because our morning wasn't something I'm proud of or willing to repeat, it doesn't mean that our entire day was ruined. Sometimes God uses something upsetting to open your eyes to what's right in front of you. Sometimes God works in mysterious ways. We managed to spend the afternoon with my parents enjoying a good meal, some outdoor time {even though it's literally hotter than hell outside, I'm pretty sure}, and we even managed to get some good mommy and me pictures of Emerson and I. As I was scrolling back through the pictures earlier this afternoon, it just reminded me of the importance of saying I'm sorry and not holding a grudge; of forgiving and yes, often forgetting. It brought to the forefront of my mind the grace that God extends and the grace that I'm called to extend to my husband and my daughter daily. In those moments this afternoon, while chasing Emerson around the yard, getting the dog out of every shot, and battling the extreme heat, I realized that my husband and my daughter are my world, and that I have a choice in not letting our bad experiences ruin all of the good ones. Because at the end of the day, today was a good one and I will always remember the memories we made in this field of green.

And because I cannot keep these to myself, I wanted to share some of the shots that my husband, Trey was able to capture this afternoon of our daughter Emerson and I in our matching LulaRoe Nicole and Dot Dot Smile dresses. Also, beneath these photos, you'll find an exclusive deal for my readers! You don't want to miss out!

 They are a soft yellow with a blue, green + pink floral print. They are incredibly comfortable and flowy. I actually really love the twirly-ness {you like that word?} of them, and so did Emerson. These dresses were so graciously provided to us by my friend Rachel, who is a former co-worker of mine and a fellow mama. She is one of the strongest women I know and her devotion and passion to achieve her goals is unreal! She is hosting a LLR party tomorrow night {Monday, 7/25} on Facebook and she's offering 15% off using the code ThriftyChic15 to anyone reading right now! These particular dresses come in many sizes, colors, and patterns. If you're a girl mama, you do NOT want to miss out on this opportunity. I mean, let's be real, they're only going to let us dress like them for so long. Am I right? Take advantage! Click HERE to visit Rachele's party page.

I hope you've had an enjoyable weekend and that it has given you much needed rest to tackle the coming week. XO!

Wine with Me

Hey friends! It's been a hot minute and for that I apologize. We've had a lot going on. If you follow me on Instagram, you already know all about it, so I'll spare you the details. Regardless, I'm here tonight to hopefully make you laugh + cheers to children's bedtimes across the land.

Toddlers! Two year olds to be more specific. They're little jerks. They are awesome one minute + a HOT MESS of annoyance the next. God bless 'em. Let's see, where should I begin? My daughter, Emerson will be two at the end of August and she is hell on freaking wheels lately {the good Lord decided to send the terrible two's a little early, I'm assuming. I'll be sure to thank Him for that when I reach the pearly gates}. You've probably heard me mention before how well she talks for her age, and I say that not in a "my kid is so awesome" way, but a "hey, it's not always all it's cracked up to be" way. Most people tell me how fabulous it is that she's talks so well, and while I do agree, it has also made this phase of life extremely trying. The girl knows too many words for her own good. She can be hilarious and darling. She is gorgeous and random and she adores babies and puppies. Don't try to take hers though because she'll scream "myyyyyy'ssss" at you until she's blue in the face. Yes, "MY's", not mine. Hey, at least she's not saying "mines". {I used to tell my students that mines were underground, so I claimed to never know what they were referring to when they said "mines is blue" or whatever the case may have been.} Anyway, I digress. You'll learn in a minute that I'm fueled up on a glass of wine and very little dinner already, so bear with me.

Emerson hasn't been napping too great this week. We think she's getting another molar. Those stupid, stupid, stupid molars. Sure, other teeth cause problems, but the molars, man. If they weren't essential, I'd rip out every last one. So, she woke up from her nap today {but really for the past 3 days} crying pretty hard. Usually, she's happy go lucky after a nap. I should've anticipated the fury that consumed her from thence forth. The hours of 3:15-7:30pm today were nothing short of exhausting, infuriating, and at some points hilarious. Am I the only one that has a hard time keeping a straight face during a ridiculously overdramatic toddler tantrum? I absolutely cannot handle the drama. It's almost better than the Bachelorette cliff hanger from this week. Ugh. #TeamLuke

First, it was that she didn't want me to change her sopping wet, nearly dragging the floor diaper after her nap. Then, it was the fact that her cup only had a 1/4 cup of milk and not a full cup. Then, I'm pretty sure I repeated the phrase "Emerson, throw it one more time and you'll get a spanking". I gave a good many spankings today. I usually don't issue them very often, at all. Please don't sanctimony me on that either; we believe in spanking for deliberate disobedience. Anyway, she literally threw two ENTIRE dog bowls full of food all over my kitchen after having been told {and spanked} for doing it before. Then, she got mad because I wouldn't sit beside her WHILE I was cooking HER dinner. Then, it was that she wanted more broccoli because the entire cup she had wasn't enough apparently. So, being the awesome mom I am, I made her more broccoli {which I didn't realize wasn't the steam-in-the-bag kind-CURSE YOU FROZEN FOODS THAT REQUIRE EXTRA SUPPLIES}, only to have it thrown on the floor and have her demand grapes instead. I mean they are both green, so maybe she was confused. I'll give her the benefit of the doubt because quite frankly I have no energy left for much else. As you'll see below, my dinner was essentially grapes too...just smushed and fermented. Ha!

After her "dinner", which consisted of like 1 bite of chicken, 4 grapes, and a couple florets of broccoli, it was nearly bath time. Praise the GOOD LORD. Though, now she didn't want me to take off her diaper. Ohhhhhhh, the irony of the toddler brain. Finally, I turned a chase around the house into a tickle fest that eventually ended with a naked child. Bath time was successful, but fear not, it was short lived. She ran to her room soaking wet after I took her out, and grabbed her Elsa doll {the one with wayyy too much hair for a doll} and dunked her in the tub only then to sling her around the bathroom sending bath water in all directions. Y'all, I can't make this up.

Finally, Elsa had to "finish her bath" and Emerson "brushed her teeth". Brushing teeth these days basically means turning the faucet on fifty-eleven times so that she can get her toothbrush wet, and "spit". I do love when she spits, except for the fact that she's so small that she has never actually reached the sink in her line of fire. More mess for mom, YAY! Surprisingly, pajamas and bedtime went smoothly. I think ole girl exhausted herself today. I know she just about killed me. I'm on glass number 2 of wine. Don't judge...you know you've been there. So, how was your day?

Growing Where You Are Planted

Grow where you are planted.

You've heard the phrase a thousand and one times. It's an inspiring quote that is so applicable to motherhood and marriage, yet nearly impossible to implement, it seems. I have been stewing over it for the past week or so, unable to shake the application to my life lately.

Life is hard, but just because it can be hard doesn't mean it's bad. {Another great phrase} Let's compare it to motherhood, shall we?

Carefree, living's easy {relatively} and you're not responsible for anyone but yourself. Then, you become a mother. Life changes instantly. Life gets hard. Damn hard. It can appear as though it's all bad in the moment, but it's not, or so I've had to convince myself on numerous occasions.  I don't need to go into detail about all of the ways that children change our lives. I think we can all agree that it just happens {to varying degrees for different people}. For me, it was like being hit by a mack truck, but that's a story for another day. For some, it's utter joy. For others, entering motherhood is a long-awaited journey now filled with hope and  fulfilled desires. For many, it's suffering and for few, it's devastating. Yet, motherhood has a way of growing you. Changing you. Bettering you by often breaking you down.

We are a selfish people. FULL OF OURSELVES, actually. Motherhood changes all of that. Not to say that moms shouldn't be a little selfish at times {hello, I still need a couple hours a day to myself or to pee alone}, but having children {biological or not} changes you as a woman. Your needs are no longer the top priority most days. That's a hard pill to swallow, especially as a new mama, though I'd imagine it's equally as hard being the Duggar mom too. I'm now at the {almost} two year mark into motherhood, not including pregnancy. You know what, let's include pregnancy because that whole phase isn't easy either, so almost three years. Okay, three years in and here's what I've learned about growing and changing:

Growth is gradual, it's not instant.

Growth is intentional.

Growth is life-changing.

Growth is progress, even when many times it feels like defeat.

Growth is hard.

Growth takes work and is often most visible in times of weakness.

Growth is necessary.

As a mother, I have certainly evolved. I am far less uptight than I was even 6 months ago. I have learned the importance of letting go and letting God {though I'm still a control freak, so I'm a continual work in progress here}. I have accepted that some days just suck and that's just how it is; it doesn't mean I'm a horrible mother or that I have the worst child on the planet. It just means that my perspective and my attitude have a lot of control on just how sucky I allow the day to be. I have learned that discipline is far more difficult than I imagined and it is required far sooner than I'd anticipated. I've learned that loving someone so immensely is both invigorating and exhausting. I've learned that true quality time with my spouse is invaluable. I've learned that just when you've figured out one thing, life throws another curve ball in there. Nothing about motherhood is easy, except maybe accepting that growth is going to happen and sometimes in the unlikeliest of ways.

Two years ago, I had a baby and my husband started a second job. He worked non-stop {and I mothered non-stop}. I was bitter. I was full of resentment and fear. I felt alone. I was not in a good place as a woman or as a wife. I was actively trying to keep growth and change from happening. Now almost two years later, I can see how my need to control was getting in the way of what God was trying to accomplish in me and in my marriage.

God broke me down, so that I would recognize my need for his grace, his mercy, his comfort, and his love. I fully believe that God allows us to venture into the valley's sometimes, in order to show our need for him. As a mother, so much is out of my control. The biggest growth I've experienced since Emerson arrived is the simple understanding that God holds me in the palm of his hand and has a far greater plan for my role as "mom" and "wife" than I could ever possibly understand. It has taken me two years to understand that I don't need to control everything in order for things to "go right", even when that means the outcome isn't as I'd originally pictured. Sometimes life is chaotic and that's where growth happens.

I've finally realized that this place where God has me planted, in this constantly changing season of life, I am growing. Sometimes I love it and other times, I hate it, but I am changing in ways that will benefit me, my daughter, and my husband. I am becoming more like Christ, and that is a burden I'm willing to bear.

A Day in the Life: Day-to-Day

Day-to-day life is different for everyone, especially for us moms. Depending on whether you work or stay at home, have 1 child or 12, allow screen time or don't. There are so many variables in how your day goes. For me, day-to-day life is constantly changing, yet remains the same. My daughter will be two in August, so we've officially entered the toddler years and they are tough, but SO fun. Each day presents new challenges and opportunities.

Today's post is titled "Day to Day" and it's all about my daily life as a SAHM {stay-at-home-mom}. If I had written this 6 months ago, I would've taken a different approach because I was working part-time, but because I decided to quit that endeavor, now I'm home with Emerson full time, as in 24 hours a day. Also, let me assure you that I'm writing this today simply as a way to share with my readers what a typical day looks like for me now that I'm a mom, who also stays home full-time. {This is in no way intended to be a mom-shaming post. }

My day typically starts around 7am, sometimes earlier, sometimes later; it's usually dependent on the weather, honestly {okay, and my child}. If it's sunny, I'm up and at 'em early, and usually with a hot cup of coffee in hand; if it's rainy or gloomy, I'm staying in bed until Emerson will no longer allow it. This is one reason I do NOT miss working full time, I basically create my own schedule. Then again, I thrive on routine, so I often miss the routine that a career brings along with it. I'm not the type of mom that gets up at the exact moment my child makes her first little noise in the morning, though either. More often than not, Emerson will play in her crib for anywhere from 15-45 minutes in the mornings. If she's not hollering {aka, acting like rabid banshee} then I leave her be. So around 7:30-8a is when Emerson is out of her crib and rearing to go for the day.  This is also the time in which I must prepare myself physically, mentally, and emotionally for anything that she might throw my way. EVERY DAY IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. This is typically the order in which we do things once she's graced me with her adorable presence. :)

I greet her in her room by opening the curtains and cheerfully saying "good morning". I give her hugs + kisses and then, I change her diaper + sometimes I get her dressed for the day. Most days she stays in PJ's until after she eats breakfast, simply because breakfast gets everywhere. Then, I usually make her a breakfast of either cereal with milk {her current fave}, yogurt, a waffle, or MY oatmeal. Yes, she loves eating anything that isn't hers. She's finally able to eat with a spoon well enough to not need me, so while she eats, I usually make myself something to eat + TRY to get ready for the day if we have somewhere to be. Sancti-Mommies, get yourselves ready...I've also been known to put her highchair in the living room and allow her to watch Daniel Tiger while I get ready. OMG, screen time before age 2?! What? The HORROR! Don't even bother chastising me, I do. not. care and yes, I've read the studies. I'm not going to lie, I am so grateful to whoever the creator of Daniel Tiger is, like SO, SO thankful. As a SAHM, sometimes Daniel is my saving grace. I run around like a mad woman in the mornings because I have be fast unless I want her trailing my heels with every move I make.

After breakfast is eaten and cleaned up, I get her dressed and ready. This is seriously my favorite part of the day. Dressing her is so much fun!  Correction: picking out her outfit is fun! The actual dressing part can sometimes be a nightmare or a fuss-a-thon. She's just starting to want to pick out her own shoes, so that's been fun too. *eye roll* Then, I usually finish getting ready, which takes me anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour depending on how needy she's feeling that day. This is how I kept her occupied this morning to allow myself some time to get ready...

I like to get fully dressed, do my hair, and my make-up. It helps me feel like myself, so I make it a point to do this every day {well, most days}. I can't lie about this either, it's not easy to get ready or do all of these things, and sometimes if I'm honest, it means Emerson is whining at my feet the whole time. Call me selfish, but I need to feel like ME too, so whine she must sometimes. We usually don't make it out of the house before 9:00-9:30 in the mornings, unless it's an absolute MUST. I've never been a morning person, and I just prefer to take it slow if time allows. Ask any of my teacher friends, there were many a mornings when I was walking in to school with the students. It's cool though, I stayed wayyy past clock-out time, so I made up for it. HA!

The rest of the morning usually consists of a play date of some sort, grocery shopping, running errands, or lately, me dropping Em off at the gym Kids Club and me working out. She loves it in there, so don't give me that look. ;) I try to be home by 12-12:30p from whatever it is we're doing and then I feed her lunch. One day she likes something, the next day she loathes it, so meals have been interesting and trying. Meal times take forever! Also, I'm going to throw in the fact that I HATE feeding times because of the mess it creates. I really seriously can't wait until she no longer enjoys the thrill throwing food on the floor. When is that going to get old, Em, when?!? She even looks at me and says " Mommy said 'no'", then proceeds to throw it. I don't get it. She looks awfully cute though!

And, don't worry, she is punished now for throwing food on the floor intentionally because she knows it's a no-no. Did I mention we started spanking recently? Do y'all spank your kids? Please don't try to give me advice on why spanking is or isn't beneficial. I'm curious to hear what other methods of discipline y'all find helpful though! We're always open to suggestions/ideas that have worked for others with determined kiddos, as this is a new ballgame for us.

By the time lunch is finished and cleaned up, it's just about nap time. Nap time is NOT optional in this household. I NEED this time to recharge my batteries for round 2 {post-nap}. Before naps, we always change her diaper, read a couple of books, and sing our "night-night song", which is "You are my sunshine". She'll usually nap for about 2 hours, sometimes more, sometimes less. While she naps, I do any of the following: clean, rest, watch tv, eat, do yard work, pay bills, blog, clean, clean, clean, laundry, take a shower, read {rarely}, blog, waste time on the internet,  and clean. I do a lot of housework/chores while she naps, usually, in case that wasn't obvious. I also tend to do most of my blogging during nap time as well, as I can't really get much accomplished in this regard when she's awake. Some days if she's extra clingy or we just didn't get out of the house, I work out during this time. I typically try to save tv time for after she goes to bed at night... I'm getting there, I promise.

This was a day when she had a short nap + I didn't make it to the gym because she was super clingy. She was literally trying to hold on to me while I worked out. It was interesting, to say the least.

Once she wakes up from her nap, we play, run errands, watch a cartoon, color, play with play dough, play outside, or meet up with friends. Emerson likes me to play with her like basically ALL THE TIME. I've considered giving her a sibling ASAP for this reason {until I realize that's actually more work right now}. HA HA. I enjoy teaching her too. We're currently working on colors, numbers, and letters. Afternoons are always a toss up and are mood-dependent. I like to be home by 6ish to feed her dinner. Sometimes I have dinner prepared by then, but most often I eat {or we, my husband and I} after she goes to bed because it's just easier that way. I am NOT a cook, as in I do not enjoy it. I really struggle with making meals for us. We eat takeout way too much, I can admit that {though not "fast food"}. My cooking goes in spurts, much like my blogging. HA.

After Emerson is fed and cleaned up, she takes a bath. She gets a bath every single night, mostly because I like the way it makes her hair smell, hah! After her bath, we do her bedtime routine which we've had in place since she was really little. She is usually down for the night by 7:30-8p. We did sleep train her early on because having time to ourselves at night was very important to us and crucial for our marriage. This is such a hot controversial topic, so I won't stay here long, but because of my husband's careers, he has a very odd schedule and sometimes at night is the only time we get to spend any time together. Sometimes we only get 1-2 nights a week together, so it's crucial for our marriage to have that time alone without Emerson. Ironically, and semi-related, I recently read a Scary Mommy article titled "Listen to Your Smug, Sleep Training Friends. They're Right." The title sparked my interest and not just because we did sleep train. I was semi-upset that the title referred to me as 'smug'. Anyway, it's pretty interesting, and even from my personal perspective, the pros far outweigh the cons in the sleep training department, but I won't say anymore for fear of causing any drama with anyone! To each his own...

After Emerson goes to bed, I usually am so tired and have little mental energy left. We eat dinner {whether that be with or without my husband depending on the night}, clean up the kitchen, take a shower, and get comfy. From about 9:00p on is ME TIME. Yes, technically nap time is also "me time", except it's not really. Nap time is usually "see how much you can get done before waking the beast". Ha, she's not a beast...usually. Night time though, that's true ME TIME. I have this complex about needing more alone time, so I stay up way too late. It's a double-edged sword, as I immediately regret it the next morning upon waking. I swear the nights I decide to stay up are followed by the earliest mornings. It's like she knows...

You may be thinking, "Gee, Chels, none of that sounds too hard. Why do you always claim to be so exhausted at the end of the day?" Well, let me share this little tidbit with you. Yes, I do get to spend some days never changing out of pajamas, but I also rarely get to spend a lot of time with adults. I rarely have an intelligent conversation with someone over the age of 2 unless I'm texting, talking on the phone, or talking to my husband. And even when I am doing those things, half the time its about the children.  I am constantly needed and my child is attached to my side. She's not the most independent of children. I play with bubbles, play dough, babydolls, and rubber basketballs ALL day long. I tote Emmie everywhere I go. A simple grocery trip is not just a simple grocery trip...ever. Everything I do all day has to take her and her needs into account. 90% of my time is spent WITH my child. I love that and I hate that, and I don't care how that sounds because it's just the truth, MY truth. I can recognize the difficulty of this stage of life, and also appreciate it greatly in the same breath.

Toddlers {or babies/kids of any age} require a whole other level of patience, endurance, and time that I have never experienced before. So yes, I do spend a lot of time on the floor playing, or with other moms "drinking coffee and socializing", but I'm not apologizing because I'm "ON" all the time. Motherhood isn't something you get to clock in and out of whenever you feel like it. When she's awake, she's usually one step behind me and I'm anxious for sleep time.  When she's asleep, I miss her. It's the strangest thing. There's no escaping as a SAHM. I don't even go pee by myself, y'all.  This stage of life is repetitive, often boring + lonely, and it's flat out hard. Regardless of whether I'm working outside of my house or not, being a mom is hard work any way you look at it. Motherhood is NOT for the faint of heart, I repeat, it is NOT for the faint of heart. Moms of all walks of life deserve a tremendous round of applause for the work they do day in and day out, whether at home, at work, or both. I was recently asked what I thought fair compensation would me for my "job" now. My answer was "I don't think it can be compensated monetarily. It's like a thousand jobs all rolled into one." As for me right now,  I'll take my yoga pants, my coffee, my non-stop cleaning up of messes, and my crazy toddler whose tantrums are often just hilarious...oh and don't forget the dry shampoo. This day-to-day "job" is really freaking hard, but I wouldn't change it. I'm finally learning to laugh amidst the chaos that is my life now. What does your day look like? Is it similar to mine? XO!

Tackling Clutter: Paperwork

Paperwork. Are you scared of this one just from reading the first word? I'm a little scared to write about it because this is even tough for me. I remember days where piles upon piles of paperwork just cluttered up our guest room closet + our empty desk drawers. Whenever tax time came, it was like a mad dash to hunt down everything we needed. I can NOT stand having to hunt for items. I don't want to hunt for clothing, shoes, dishes, toys, and I most certainly do not want to hunt down paperwork. It's so easy to let it pile up. Trust me, as much as I hate to admit it, I've been that person. When I was single, I literally had ONE accordion folder that held all of my important paperwork. Now that I'm married, it's crazy how much paper seems to have multiplied. I blame Trey. :P

The first order of business when dealing with an overwhelming {or even just a "normal"} amount of paperwork is that you have to get it all in ONE place. I highly recommend a large room with lots of space for lots of piles. I know, it's a pain in the butt and it will look completely overwhelming, but just like in previous posts, it's important to have it all in one place so you know what you're working with. Once it's all in one ginormous pile, you can start sorting through and creating smaller piles by category {i.e. insurance policies, social security information, marriage certificates, receipts,  job-related info, etc}. This will be the longest part of this entire process, but I promise it will make your life a million times less complicated in the long run and it won't leave you begging for help.

Again, it's going to be crucial that you toss + shred as you go. DO NOT KEEP PAPERWORK THAT'S OUTDATED OR UNNECESSARY! Anything with personal information on it needs to be shredded for privacy purposes. That reminds me, we need a new shredder. Let me add that to the ongoing list of "things we need". I'm not kidding when I say that we had receipts from like 2010 in our large pile of paperwork. We also had an enormous amount of random pages from our various policies that were not necessary. Get rid of it, y'all. Get rid of it.

I figured the easiest way to break all this down is with the use of some visuals. I'll warn you that they're nothing fancy + some are even stock photos that I found online, but it will show you how we organize all of our paperwork.

The materials used:

a safe, a black storage crate from Target/Walmart, file folders {hanging + non-hanging}, a label maker {ours is Dynamo}, and a sharpie.

We keep the extremely crucial folders in the safe {birth certs, SS, marriage cert., etc} in case of fire or some other extreme situation. I organized ALL of our paperwork into the following categories + there may even be a few I've forgotten to include, forgive me. You will need to adjust this as you see fit for your needs.

* Insurance policies: Within this folder I have the following separated into their own folder: Life, Health, Home, Auto
* Job-related: my teaching license + all "teacher test" scores, Trey's paramedic/FF certs., resumes, etc
* Marriage + Birth Certificates
* Social Security: cards + other pertinent info
* Gun-related: We are proud gun owners, so all of the necessary buyer/seller agreements + concealed weapons permits paperwork are housed in this folder
* Medical: This folder mostly holds records from when Emerson was born, along with some of my information from our doctor's appointments. It could also be for future medical-related paperwork, excluding health insurance {as that belongs with the insurance policies}
* House: Anything pertaining to our house {aside from homeowners insurance} is filed here
* Taxes: Every year's tax returns and all pertaining info {W-2, etc} are filed here. I have separate folders within this one for each tax year.
* Passports/Travel

Here are a few pictures that I snapped of our folders. The insurance folder holds various colored folders, categorized by the type of insurance {auto, health, home, etc}.

Example of a specific colored folder inside the "Insurance" one.

There is ONE large file folder labeled "Taxes" and each tax year is in a separate labeled folder, you know just in case we get audited! *dun dun dun*

There are endless options on how you can organize these items; this is just ONE simple way to do it that was cost effective for us because I already had the file folders from when I taught. I've seen it separated by individuals in the family. I've also seen it color coded {which I would LOVE to do more of eventually}. If you want to color code by the type of items being sorted {medical, certificates, etc}, you could always use different colored file folders instead of all one color, just an idea! :) Our paperwork is currently stored in the safe, as I mentioned + in a crate just like the one seen below.

Finally, have a specific place for bills to rest until they're paid {if they're not all electronic, that is} and have a space for outgoing mail. Don't let it just pile up on your kitchen counter or entryway table. They have mail sorters like this one below {which I actually use a similar one to store our HGTV magazines} that create an easy way to sort mail by family member, or by incoming/outgoing, paid/unpaid, etc. Other options include baskets or a standing file holder like the one seen on our desk in the picture below.

Paperwork sucks! There's no way around that, but keeping it organized makes life SO much easier. You know exactly where to look for specific items and it makes sorting incoming paperwork a heck of a lot easier once it's assembled in an organized fashion.  Whatever your muse, make it work and keep your life organized. XO!

DIY Distressed Desk

Occasionally I'll get the urge to repaint. Often it's an entire room, which is actually a large task, but this time it was just a desk. The desk in our office nook was a hand-me-down from my parents. It used to have a large hutch on top, but I removed it because it was much too large + it was just unused space. It used to be a dark walnut brown, but I painted it black a year or two ago to better match the decor in the room in which it's located {which you can see below}.

I never disliked the black desk, it was just that here recently I've had the inkling to lighten up this room. I've mentioned before about how it doesn't get very good light, so anything I can do to lighten the space is always a plus. Within the past 6 months, I painted our main hallway + an ottoman the color Dove White by Benjamin Moore. It's a slightly off-white color. I had about a quarter {or less} of a gallon of paint leftover and yesterday sealed it's fate. It was a beautiful day, my hubby was home most of the afternoon, so I had a chance to get this desk painted. I decided to distress it slightly too. So, without further ado, here's my HOW-TO on painting + distressing a desk {or table}. Each step has a picture with the description below it.

F I R S T,

The materials used for this project were pretty cost effective.I was able to complete this project for around $6 because I already had most of the materials seen in the picture with the exception of the spray paint + the paint brush. My husband always has latex gloves on hand because of his profession + he even "borrowed" a couple of face masks that we keep at home for instances such as this, or for sickness. Ha.

Materials: Satin spray paint in the color Heirloom White, a paintbrush {I would use a 1-2 inch angled brush instead of a 3 inch like is shown here}, latex gloves, a mask {optional}, a foam roller, sand paper {I believe is was 150 grit}, and about a quart of paint. 

S E C O N D ,

Prepare your work space by laying out a drop cloth {this plastic one is sold at Lowe's for llike $1.50 or so}. Make sure you are working in a well ventilated area. I did this in the garage with the door open. Let me preface this entire next part by saying that in order to do a distressed look, your piece of furniture MUST have a dark color as the base. So, if you're going dark to light it should work just fine, but if you going light to a different light color, you will need to add a dark color first before adding another light color on top. I hope that makes sense.

Run that sand paper over your desk to rough it up a bit. This isn't absolutely necessary, but I had some already peeling paint + rough spots on the tabletop, so I wanted to smooth it out before painting. There's really no rhyme or reason to sanding, at least not in my opinion, so just go for it.

T H I R D,

 I began the painting process by spray painting the desk. I did this primarily for coverage purposes. Because the desk was black + I didn't have a whole lot of actual paint, I decided to spray paint a couple layers first to ensure that I would have enough paint do the final couple of layers. I spray painted the desk TOP first by doing a swift back and forth motion down the length of the desk. The key to even coverage when using spray paint is to continuously spray without spraying one spot too long {it builds up if you do that}. Do light, even coats. Don't overload it on the first spray. The first time I sprayed this desk top I could still see most of the black because I just did a light coat. I did 3-4 coats of spray paint over the entire desk. I did the legs vertically {sprayed up + down, not side-to-side} to optimize the amount of spray paint used. The picture below shows the desk after I was finished spray painting. Now, remember I still had to paint with actual paint, so it's fine that it wasn't fully covered. I just wanted to get MOST of the black covered.

F O U R T H,

 Use the foam roller to paint the entire desk {yes, even the legs and sides}. I went in the corners and crevices with the paintbrush at the end. I prefer a foam roller to a paint brush because I don't like the lines a paintbrush leaves behind. You could totally use a brush for the entire project if you wanted though. I followed the same idea with the roller as I did with the spray paint {back + forth along the top + sides of the desk + up and down for the legs}. I put 3 coats of paint ON TOP of the already spray painted desk. I let each coat dry for about 45 minutes in between coats. This was the final coat drying.

F I F T H,

To add a distressed look to your desk, use sandpaper to rough up the edges and corners of the desk. I didn't do a TON of distressing, but just enough to make it look older + not just freshly painted. Literally, just push + pull the sandpaper removing small buts of paint in the process. Be careful not to remove TOO much, as this will make it look intentional, rather than unintentionally + natural. You can see more of the distressing in the pictures below in the SIXTH step.

S I X T H,

Allow your desk or table to dry for a good while {I waited about 4 hours, but technically you should probably allow more time than that}. I brought it back inside + waited until this morning to restyle it, allowing it extra time to dry. Don't put anything on it until it's dried for more than 12-24 hours, or else it will stick to your belongings because the paint is still somewhat tacky. 

In the end, you're left with a little something like this. :) Now, go paint + distress my friends! XO!

Tackling Clutter: Office Spaces

Hey friends! I'm about 2 days late to this game, and for that you can blame the gorgeous summer-like weather that has finally decided to stick around these parts. Oh, and my crazy tantrum-throwing toddler. I have been living outside because it keeps her so content. I decided to bring my "work" outside with me yesterday, and so here we are...finally.

Office space. It can be a table, often the kitchen table, or a whole separate room with a desk and shelves and the whole nine. If you're like me, then you have a little office space tucked away in a corner of the guest room. Because neither my husband nor I really "work from home", we don't need some elaborate office space. This little set-up works just fine for our needs at the moment. {Also, let me apologize in advance for some of these pictures. This room gets HORRIBLE light + I'm not good at photography to begin with, so yeah...hang with me.}

Today, I don't have an elaborate post for you like I did with the kitchen or pantry, because our office space isn't THAT big. Today, I thought it'd be helpful to outline how we organize office supplies, paperwork, and the like. Plus, I have a couple of easy DIY projects for you guys.

DIY Sterilite Drawer Upgrade

The desk we use was a hand me down that I painted black. I'm actually about to paint it white soon to hopefully lighten this space. The room that houses this little office nook doesn't get much light, as I mentioned, so I think that lighter furniture will help a little. Anyway, the desk has one little flip down drawer that's meant for a keyboard. Inside of that holds computer paper and cards for various holidays {Target dollar spot had a wide variety of blank cards a while back and I stocked up so I never miss a beat}. Aside from that one drawer, we have zero storage for office-related items. Enter one of my favorite little DIY hacks. I had about a million five plastic 3-drawer Sterilite containers from when I taught. They have fairly deep drawers and are great for storage. However, they are unsightly and NOT cute when used for home decor. I was at Target a couple of months ago {haha that was like thousands of Target trips ago}, when I stumbled upon some $1 file folders in gold, black and white prints in the dollar section. I wasn't quite sure how I'd use them, but I knew they were too good to pass up, so I bought a pack of 3. When I got home, I realized that they matched the decor in our guest room pretty well and immediately the idea came to me. I would use them in the front of each drawer to hide what was inside/make the drawers look high-end. HAHA, okay that's stretching it. They don't look high-end by any means, but they DO look way cuter than before. All I did was cut the file folders in half + trim in to size, then I just slid it right in down in the drawer where you would open it. This is how it turned out and I LOVE it.

turned into

Before

After

The drawers are organized as follows:

 Top: Computer paper

{You can see here how I slid the file folders in right at the front of the drawer. 

Also, this was before I cut them to size-I was testing it to make sure it fit.}

Middle: Office supplies, pens, highlighters, push pins, multi-tool, stamps, etc.

Bottom: Notepads+ folders

On the desk itself, I keep very few items, to maximize the small surface. To the left of the computer is a vase {thrifted} that holds all of our Sharpie markers. Behind the computer is the printer, which stays folded up most of the time. To the right of the computer is a a Target dollar spot file folder organizer, which I actually use to hold my calendars {for my blog/IG, and another for meal planning}. Next to that is the lamp, one faux flowered plant in a glass dollar store vase, and a frame with a free printable. That's it. KISS-Keep It Simple Stupid Silly. My history teacher in high school taught us that acronym, except he used stupid. I don't like calling y'all stupid, so I changed it to better accommodate my feelings.

That's pretty much it for how I organize our office space. Oh, I do have a Target dollar spot wire basket on the floor that we use as a trashcan.

And if you're wondering about that huge print of Emerson above the desk, well let me tell you about it REAL quick. When I was pregnant I walked our neighborhood almost daily. One day, Trey and I passed that frame {which was originally this weird green/yellow color} on the side of the road. It is HUGE and I knew I could utilize it for a DIY project. I made Trey carry it home for the remainder of our walk. HAHA. Anyway, I spray painted it white and added a $3 Office Max B+W engineer print {see this post on how to get your own}. So for $3, I got a beautiful piece of art for this space.

I know this post wasn't as detailed or as broken down as the others in this series have been, but hopefully you found it helpful nonetheless. Come back next week as I take on a wildcard {as in, I haven't decided which space I want to "tackle" yet- haha!}. XO!